Flame stabilizing attachment for orchard heaters



June 18, 1935. w. L. SCHEU g 2,005,009 FLAME STABILIZIjNG ATTACHMENT FOR ORCHARD HEATERS Filed Sept. 19, 19:52 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v a [N VENTOR' ATTO NEKS June 18, 1935. w. L. SCHEU 2,005,009 v I FLAME STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR ORCHARD HEATERS Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet? 6L INVENTOR I 12 T TO%NE Y5 Patented June 18, 1-935 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE FLAME STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR ORCHARD HEATERS Willis L. Scheu, Ontario, Calif., assignor to Scheu l Products Company Limited, Ontario, Calif., a

corporation of California Application September 19, 1932, Serial No. 633,754 I 12 Claims. (01. 158-91) I This invention relates to an attachment for a The device of the present invention is particuliquid-fuel orchard heaters, and particularly to larly adapted for installation on an orchard an attachment for such heaters which will inheater having air-admitting means of the type crease the operating efiiciency and improve the which comprises a regulating plate having one 5 operating characteristics of liquid-fuel orchard or'more openings therein which are adapted to 5 heaters of a certain general type. be placed in or out of registration witha suitable The device of the present invention is adapted opening in the heater cover, whereby the amount for use on an orchard heater ofthe type com-- of air admitted to the interior of the heater may prising a liquid-fuel receptacle having a closelybe regulated within the desired limits.

fitting cover provided with vaporizing-flame air- In its broadest scope, the present invention 10 admitting means having a closely-fitting regucontemplates the provision of a device adapted lating plate, and vapor-outlet means in said to be attached to an orchard heater in such man.- covcr provided withastack communicatingtherener and in such position that additional airlis with When used with a heater of the above admitted to the heater adjacent the point of adtype, the device of the present invention serves mission of air for the support of the vaporizingto improve the operating characteristics. of such flame, and may comprise a device'adapted to ada heater by causing the vaporizing-flame to be mit additional air immediately adjacent said stabilized and persist in the vicinity of the air-. point, o'rmay comprise a device adapted to adadmitting. means, and thus obtain more stable mit additional air at a'point somewhat removed operation of the heater. from said point, as for example at the edge of 20 I The above-mentioned type of heater is northe heater cover, or may comprise a device adaptmally adapted for relatively slow burning, under. ed to admit additional air at both of said points. moderate and steady draft conditions, and many Thus,the device may comprise aspacing'meme attempts have been made to modify this typeof ber adapted to be placed between the upper wall heater to obtain more efficient fuel combustion of the heater cover and the aforementioned reg- 2'5 and more smokelessoperatio'n, but, until theadulating plate, at apoint adjacent the air-admitvent of the present invention,these attempts were ting opening, whereby the said regulating plate unsuccessful due to the fact that attempted is spaced fromthe surface of the heater cover and changes in stack design for'the purpose'of .proair is admitted .to the interior of the heater by viding better combustion tended to produce an passing under the regulating plate and thence. 30 increased draft, and thus caused the generating through the air-admitting opening, or, the deor vaporizing flame to jump into the stack, exvice may comprise 'a spacing member adapted to tinguishing the heater. This, tendency of the be inserted between theupper edge of the fuel vaporizing-flame to jump is particularly noreceptacle and the heater cover at the side thereof ticeable when a 'stackiof a type which produces adjacent the air-admitting means so that said 35 a puffing or pulsating combustion is used on heater cover is spaced from said upper edge of a heater of the type above described. I said fuel receptacle and an air space is'provided The principal object of the present invention therebetween for admission of additional air to is, therefore; to provide a flame stabilizing atthe'interior of said heater adjacent the position 40 tachment foraliquid-fuel orchard heater adapted of the air-admitting means, or, further, the de- 40 to cause the vaporizing-flame to persist'in the vice may advantageously comprise a construction vicinity of the air-admitting opening, in spite of embodying bothvof the above mentioned spacing high draft, or of fluctuations in draft produced members, whereby additional air isadmitted to by such puffing or pulsating combustion, whereby the interiorof said heater at both of said posijumping and consequent extinguishing of the tions.

h t i r t d; The generating or vaporizing flame which pro- Afurtherobject of the invention is to'provide vides for vaporization of th qu fuel in the an attachment for a liquid fuel orchard heater heater is maintained by the inward fiOW a adapted. to cause the vaporizing-flame to persist through the aforesaidaiT-admitting means,v a d in the vicinity of the i d itting opening as admissionof additional air in the manner above 50 g and for the reasons above set' forth; whereby adpe Obtains a more'stable p a is ditional air is admitted to the interior of the fuel generating flame, contributing in amaterialmanreceptacle in such manner as to disturb the inner to the operation 'of the heater. ward flow of air through said air-admitting 'open- The device of the present invention may advaning. s v c t ,c V tageously comprise one adapted to functionin the 55 manner above set forth, and provided in addition with suitable wick-supporting means, whereby the wick is supported in a particularly advantageous position with respect to the air-admitting means.

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of my invention, and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a partly broken away side elevation of a liquid fuel heater provided with a device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said heater;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portionof Fig. 2, showing the air-admitting means, with a portion of the regulating plate of said air-admitting means broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 1; a .1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the form of device shown in Fig. 1, all parts thereof ex-' cept those adjacent the air-admitting means being broken away;

Fig. 6is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 5; p

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the present device;

Figs. 8 to 11 are views corresponding to Fig. 5, showing alternative modifications of the device of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a view corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3, showing an alternative form'of device of the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view thereof, taken on line I3I3 in Fig. 12.

Figs. lto 4 show a liquid fuel heater of the type to which the device of the present invention is particularly adaptable, and referring thereto, said heater is shown, as comprising a fuel receptacle I, formed as a rectangular pan having a side wall I a provided with a beaded upper edge 2,.and a cover 3 provided with a depending flange 4 whichis customarily provided with a groove 5 adapted to receive the beaded upper edge 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. arily tapered inwardly and upwardly to a centrally disposed vapor outlet adapted to receive a stack 6. The stack 6 is shown as provided with a plurality of louvres I which provide for admission of combustion air to the interior thereof during operation of the heater, and may also be providedwith a cover 8. The heater cover 3 is also provided with air-admitting means indicated at 9 and a fuel-charging aperture II provided with a removable cap I2.

j The air-admitting means may comprise an opening in the cover proper, such as a semi-cir-.

cular slot I3, and a rotatable regulating plate I4 provided with a plurality of air-admitting holes ISpreferably set on the same radius as that of the slot I3. The plate I4 isrotatably supported at the center of curvature of the slot I3 in any suitable manner, as by means of a rivetIB, and may be provided with a projection I5a. to allow of easy adjustment of said plate. 3 Uponrotation of the plate I4, one or more of the holes I5 may. be brought into registration with, the slot I3 and a greater or lesser amount of air admitted to the interior of the heater, as desired.

The device of the present invention may be formed as a single piece of metal, such as shown in perspective at 2| in Fig. '7 for example, providedwith abent-over portion 2| a. at one end, an

intermediate portion 2Ib, a cover-engaging lip 2 lo at the other end, and a depending wick-supporting portion 2ld adjacentsaid'lip. The por- The cover 3 is custom-' tion 2 la is joined to the intermediate portion 2 l b by a curved portion 2le of approximately the same curvature as that of the beaded upper edge 2 of the heater to which the device is to be attached so that said device will receive said bead within the curved portion 2| c after the manner shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 5.

The device 2| is adapted to be attached to a heater of the type above described in the follow- .ing manner: With the cover 3 lifted clear of the upper edge 2 of the receptacle I, the device is secured to the cover by inserting the cover-engaging lip 2 lo into the slot l3 and forcing said lip between the cover and the plate l4 into a position such as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, with the curved portion 2 le tucked into the groove 5. The cover is then lowered into position on the receptacle, and the curved portion Zle will then come into engagement with the bead 2, as shown. With the device in this position, it will be seen by referring, for example, to Fig. 4, that the regulating plate I4 is lifted from thecover 3, leaving a space I4a at either side of theelement 2|. 1

In this position, the portion 2Ie of the device will engagethe bead 2 and the cover 3 will be supported in spaced relation to said bead, leaving a space 201. (as shown, for example, in Fig.6) between the. cover portion 5 and the bead 2. The wick-support 2Id is thus disposed in position between the edge of the cover 3 and the air admitting slot I3, and a suitable wick 22 may be held in that position, as shown in Fig; 1.

The above-described form of orchardheater is heater and heat the fuel sufiicientiy to cause. 7 I

production of combustible vapors, after which the combustion within the receptacle-portion of the heater will be confined to a generating-flame at the point or points of air-admission and the'main combustion of the vaporized fuel will take place within and above the stack 6. The generatingflame will cause a continuous. liberation of combustible vapors from the liquid fuel within the heater, and supply such vapors for the main com bustion.

The device of the present invention is adapted to allow additional air to be admitted to the interior of the orchard heater in such position with respectv to the generating-flame air-admittingmeans that said additionally admitted air in fluences and disturbs the air stream passing through said air-admitting means. When this device is usedwith a heater'o'f the general type above described, the vaporizing-flame, or generating-flame, is caused to persist in the vicinity of the air-admittingopening, and stable operation of the heater is established under substantially all draft conditions.

The device of the present inventionis of particularly advantageous use on a heater provided with a stack which induces a relatively large or powerful draft, which ordinarily causes the vaporizing-flame to be sucked up the draft stack and thus extinguished. The above-described form of heater is normally designed to operate with a medium-strength draft, and in this case, the vaporizing-flame is able to persist in its proper position. When, however, a stack of a type adapted toproduce a strong draftis used,.

such asa form of stack of the type shown in Fig. 1, the vaporizing-flame will tend to jump into the stack and be extinguished; and it is under such conditions that the device of the present invention will so alter the nature or form of the stream of admitted air that'the vaporizing flame persists in its proper place within the base portion of the heater. Q

In Figs. 8 to 13, I have shown modifications of the device of the present invention,'and referring thereto, Fig. 8 shows a device 23 comprising a cover-engaging lip 23a and a wick-support 2312,

.. side wall of the receptacle I.

The'form of device shown in Fig. 9 may comprise a metal strip 24 provided with a cover-engaging lip 24, a wick-support 24b extended inwardly of the heater so as tobe disposed between the air-admitting opening I3 and the vapor-outlet, not shown, whereby the wick 25 may be supported at a point inwardly removed from said air-admitting opening This formv of device may be formed and supplied to the user substantially in the shape shown in Fig. 10 in which the end of the device shown at theleft side is made substantially straight, as at 2 1C, and this straight end-portion may be inserted through the opening 13', forced between the cover 3" and the regulating-plate 14 until the cover-engaging lip 24a. engages the edge of the opening l3, the end-portion 240 being then bent over the edge of the cover 3 as shown at 2411.

The form of device shown in Fig. 11 may comprise a metal strip 26 provided with a wick-support portion 26a. and a curved portion 23b,

adapted to fit over the bead 2 of the heater base portion I, and be held in such position by the groove 5 of the cover 3. This form of device provides for admission of air along the cover edge, in the same manner as does the device shown at 2| in Figs. 1 to 6, but does not provide for admission of additional air under the air-admitting means regulator plate.

The form of device shown in Figs. 12 and 13 may comprise a strip of metal 21 inserted between the cover 3 and a regulating plate i4 and having its ends bent up and over to clamp the strip in position, one end 21a of said strip being passed through an opening l5 in the regulating plate and then bent over onto the regulating plate, and the other end 21?) of said strip being bent up and over the outside edge of said plate. This form of device provides only for spacing the regulating plate from the cover, after the fashion of the form of device shown in Fig. 8.

It will be seen that the device of the present invention is particularly characterized by its simplicity, and it is apparentthat numerous modifications may be made in the specific mode and form of construction thereof. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited to the exact forms of device herein delineated and described, but rather to the scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims forming a part of this'specificae tion.

I claim:

"1.'In combination witha liquid-fuel orchard heater having areceptacle provided with a side wall, a. removable cover engaging the upper edge of said side wall and provided with an ahead-H mitting opening located adjacent one edge..thereof, a combustion stack communicating with the interior of said receptacle, and a regulating plate adiustably mounted on said cover and provided with aperture means movable into and out of position of registration with said air-admitting opening to provide for admission of air to maintain a generating flame within said receptacle adjacent said opening, said side wall and said regulating plate constituting enclosing members normally in substantially tight engagement with said. cover so as to cause the interior of said receptacle to be substantially enclosed from the atmosphere except through said aperture means afiame stabilizing device secured to said heater and having a portion extending between said cover and one of said enclosing members so as to separate said one member from said cover; and

provide for admission of additional airto the in-' terior of said receptacle between said cover and said one member, at a point adjacent the posi tion of said generating flame. v

2. The invention set forth in claim 1;- said device also having wick support means disposed adjacent the position of said generating flame.

3. The invention set forth in claim I; said device also having a portion extending between and separating the cover and the other of said members to provide for admission ofadditional air therebetween,

4. The invention set forth in"claim- 1; said device being provided, in addition, with a portion extending between and separating the cover and the other of said members to provide for admission of additional air therebetween, and wick support means disposed adjacent the position of said generating flame.

5. In combination with a liquid-fuel orchard heater having a receptacle provided with a side wall, a removable cover engaging the upper edge of said side wall and provided with an air-admitting opening located adjacent one edge thereof, a combustion stack communicating with the interior of said receptacle, and a regulating plate adjustably mounted on said cover and provided withaperture meansmovable into and out of position of registration with said air-admitting opening to provide for admission of air to maintain a generating flame within said receptacle adjacent said opening, said regulating plate being normally in substantially tight engagement with said cover so as to cause the interior of said receptacle to be substantially enclosed from the atmosphere except through said air-admitting opening; a flame stabilizing device secured to said heater and having a portion extending between said cover and said regulating plate so as to separate said cover and said plate and provide for admission of additional air to the interior of said receptacle between said cover and said plate, at a point adjacent the position of said generating flame.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5; said device also having wick support means disposed adjacent the position of said generating flame.

9. In combination with a liquid-fuel orchard heater having a receptacle provided with a side wall, a removable cover engaging the upper edge of said side wall and provided with an air-admitting opening located adjacent one edge thereof, a combustion stack communicating with the interior of said receptacle, and a regulating plate adjustably mounted on said cover and provided with aperture means movable into and out of position of registration with said air-admitting opening to provide for admission of air to maintain a generating flame within said receptacle adjacent said opening, said side wall being normally in substantially tight engagement with said cover so asto cause said receptacle to be substantially enclosed from the atmosphere except through said air-admitting opening; a flame stabilizing device secured to said heater and having a portion extending between said cover and the upper edge of said side wall so as to separate said cover from said side wall and provide for admission of additional air to the interior of said receptacle between said upper edge of said side wall and said cover, at a point adjacent the position of said generating flame.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9; said device also having wick support means disposed i adjacent the positionof said generating flame.

11. In combination with a liquid fuel orchard heater having a receptacle provided with a side wall, a removable cover engaging the upper edge of said side wall and provided with an air-admitting opening located adjacent one edgethereof, and a regulating plate adjustably mounted on said cover and provided with aperture means movable intoand out of position of registration with said air-admitting opening to provide for admission, of air to maintain a generating flame within said receptacle adjacent said opening, said sidewall and said regulating plate being normally in substantially tight, engagement with said cover so as to cause the interior of said receptacle to be substantially enclosed from the atmosphere except through said air-admitting opening; a flame stabilizing device secured to said heater and having a portion extending between said cover and said regulating plate so as to separate said cover and said plate and provide for admission of additional air to the interior of said recep-. tacle between said cover and said plate at a point adjacent the position of said generating flame; said device also having a portion extending between said cover and said side wall so as to separate said cover and said side wall and provide for admission of additional air therebetween.

12. In combination with a liquid-fuel orchard heater having a receptacle provided with a sidewall, a removable cover engaging the upper edge of said side wall and provided with an air-admitting opening located adjacent one edge thereof, and. a regulating plate adjustably mounted on said cover and provided with aperture means movable into and out of position of registration with said air-admitting opening to provide for admission of air to maintain a generating flame within a said receptacle adjacent said opening, said side wall and said regulating plate constituting enclosing members normally in substantially tight engagement with said cover so as to cause the interior of said receptacle to be substantially enclosed from the atmosphere except through said aperture means; a flame stabilizing device secured to said heater, adjacent said air-admitting opening and having a portion extending between said cover and one of said enclosing members so as to separate said one member from said cover and provide for admission of additional air to the interior of said receptacle between said cover and said one member at a position to influence and disturb the air stream passing through said airadmitting opening. a

I WILLIS L. SCHEU. 

